What is Unemployment Insurance?
Your state's Unemployment Insurance (UI) program provides temporary weekly income for workers who lose their job through no fault of their own. To be eligible for benefits, a claimant must be able to work, be seeking work, and be willing to accept a suitable job.
Background
The Unemployment Insurance program is a federal-state partnership that was created as part of the Social Security Act of 1935. At that time, the U. S. Congress recognized that all workers may at some point need a safety net should they find themselves unemployed through no fault of their own.
Under this federal-state partnership, the federal government establishes broad standards that all states must meet, provides program oversight, and collects taxes from employers to fund state program administration. States establish their own eligibility and qualification requirements, and assess payroll taxes on employers to fund benefits to workers.
This important program endures today because it provides a vital economic line of defense against the effects of unemployment, assisting not only the individual but also the local community. By making payments directly to unemployed workers, the UI program ensures that most of life's basic needs, such as food and shelter, are met while the claimant actively seeks new employment.
Eligibility
You must meet your state's requirements for wages earned or time worked during an established period of time, the "base period." You must also be determined to be unemployed through no fault of your own, and meet other eligibility requirements of state law. To find your state's unemployment benefit requirements please visit our homepage.
Filing an Unemployment Claim
You should contact your state's Unemployment Insurance agency as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. In most states, you can apply in person at the unemployment office, by telephone, or over the Internet. To find out how, choose your state on our homepage. You will find links to your state's general information page, unemployment forms, instructions on how to apply, and a direct link to apply online.
Please note that when you file your claim, you will be required to supply certain information such as the dates and addresses of your former employment. To ensure your claim is not delayed, be sure to provide correct and complete information.
About Unemployment-Resources.org
Where available, Unemployment-Resources.org provides direct links to the most important web pages for each state's unemployment agency. For each state we provide a link to the agency's main information page (unemployment office hours and locations, phone numbers, and general information), a link to the agency's FAQ page, a link to filing instructions and a direct link to the agency's online application pages. While we attempt to monitor each state's web pages, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or correctness of the web links on this site. If you find a broken or stale link, please let us know (click here).
Every applicant's situation is unique and each state's program and requirements are different. While we are unable to provide assistance to claimants, we would be happy to hear from you if you have any questions or comments about the site (click here).
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